Head of Barnim county administration Daniel Kurth together with Ronny Baaske (director of department for Agriculture, Nature Conservation, and Protection of Historical Monuments) at the presentation of the Barnim Atlas (with editors Judith Kloiber, Monika

+++ 14 December 2018. A group of forests scientists publish
the “VITERBO DECLARATION On safeguarding functional beech forest ecosystems” elaborated as result of the 11th International Beech Symposium of the IUFRO Group 1.01.07
“Ecology and Silviculture of Beech” to “Natural and Managed Beech Forests as Reference Ecosystems for the Sustainable Management of Forest Resources and the Conservation of
Biodiversity”held in University of Tuscia in Viterbo (Italy), September 18th-21st, 2018. A key recommendation
is that “Future proofing beech forests requires a large scale approach to planning and management that includes principles of conserving and restoring connectivity as well as effective buffer zones.
The concept “making space for nature” is an appropriate long term strategy for the development of existing, and establishment of new beech forests“. The declaration has been agreed by 80 scientists
from European Union, Switzerland, Turkey, Iran, Japan, Canada and USA. The directors of the Centre for Econics participated as co-authors of the original draft of the declaration
+++

VITERBO DECLARATION On safeguarding functional beech forest ecosystems” elaborated as result of the 11th International Beech Symposium of the IUFRO Group 1.01.07 “Ecology and Silviculture of Beech”viterbo-declaration-2018.pdfPDF-Dokument [208.4 KB]

+++ 26 November 2018. The Centre invited to watch and
discuss the 98 minutes documentaryCan FSC Eco-Label Stop Logging Primeval
Forests? After presenting the documentary, Jeanette Blumröder
explained some core results of the research on FSC in Russia. The presenattion was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Pierre Ibisch with
Jörg-Andreas Krüger, member of the management board of WWF Germany, Thomas Reutter (ARD/SWR), one of the authors of the film, and Georg Winkel, European Forest Institute. The European Wilderness Society covered the event and quoted Pierre Ibisch:
"The Forest Stewardship Council advertises that it provides wood
from responsible sources. Our research in the Arkhangelsk region of the Russian Federation alone
suggests that the certification system cannot deliver on this promise globally. This is the region with the largest remaining virgin forests on our continent. Forestry in the Arkhangelsk region is based on clear-cutting in old or primeval forests that
have never been used before. (...) The extent of the felling is a threat to Europe’s largest wild forests; it
contributes to loss of landscape ecosystem functionality and biodiversity, and it fuels climate change. The ecological catastrophe is mainly driven by the demand for timber in Western and Central
Europe. There is a concrete danger that the FSC label obscures the circumstances under which raw materials are made available for our consumption. Not
responsible“ +++

+++ 30 October 2018. Pierre Ibisch and Jeanette Blumröder feature in a contribution to the political
magazine Frontal21 of the German TV channel ZDF. In this contribution, Reinhard Laska highlights the accumulating problems in German forests, including heat and drought damages, forest fires,
bark beetles, and storms. It is called for a transformation of forestry that would not exclusively target timber production, but a risk robust ecosystem management. Luebeck communal forest is
recommended as an example for modern sustainable forestry +++

+++ 22-26 October 2018. Centre staff participated in the events organised by the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve in Rakhiv, Transcarpathia, Ukraine, celebrating its 50th anniversary. The Centre for
Econics conducted a small international conference on transnational conservation, ecosystem services and conflict prevention with participants from Moldova, Romania and Ukraine (as well as
Germany and UK). This activity was part of a DAAD project implemented since January 2018 +++

+++6 October 2018. Pierre Ibisch and Jeanette Blumröder featured in the ZDF documentary ‚The Guardians of the Trees‘
(Die Wächter der Bäume), in German only). The ZDF documentation series "plan b" offers insights into research, forestry work and companies that are pioneers for sustainable and future-oriented
management of our forests. The part on the Centre research was introduced by the ZDF with the following words: “In times of noticeable climate change, it is important to manage our forests ever
closer to nature, according to the theory of a German team of forest researchers. According to their research, dense, natural forests with a lot of deadwood as biomass cool better than man-made
monocultures. They want to prove their thesis in the last German primeval forests”.Particularly noteworthy is the contribution on the Göttingen communal forest, where the forester Martin Levin managed the forest in
accordance with the so-called Lübeck concept, based on principles of self-organizing ecosystems. A similar approach would be desirable in many forests, especially municipal
ones.+++

+++ 28 September 2018. The Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management facilitated a new Memorandum of Understanding between Eberswalde University
for Sustainable Development and the European Wilderness Society. This MoU was signed in the framework of the 20th anniversary of the International Forest
Ecosystem Management study programme. It defines the future cooperation between both organisations concerning the Bachelor of International Forest Ecosystem Management. TheEuropean Wilderness Societywill offer Internships to the undergraduates of the
3-year bachelor programme, provide the graduates of the Bachelor and Master programme access to its 12-month European Voluntary Service application and will jointly develop an
International Wilderness Exchange programme together with the Colorado State University and Eberswalde University. The European Wilderness Society will also implement within the scope of the
undergraduate and graduate programme lectures focusing on Wilderness and the work of NGOs.+++

Jeanette Blumröder, Centre coordinator for forest research and policy advice, interviewed by TV team in Heilige Hallen forest (photo. Centre for Econics and Ecosystem
Management)

+++ 12-13 September 2018. Pierre Ibisch and Kevin Mack with the Centre for Econics and Ina Rohmann with Michael Succow Foundation were received in Kiew, Ukraine, by Viktor Klid, the Director
of the department of EcoNet and Protected Areas of the Ukrainian Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. Together with colleagues from Desna, Roztochya and West Polesie Biosphere Reserves as well
as staff from the ministry they had a first meeting on the new project for Ecosystem-based Adaptation to Climate Change in UNESCO Biosphere Reserves of Ukraine.The project "Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) to climate change (CC) and regional sustainable development by empowerment of Ukrainian Biosphere
Reserves" is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety in the framework of its International Climate Initiative (IKI). It is
jointly implemented by Michael Succow Foundation (lead organisation) and the Centre for Econics (2018-2021) +++

German delegation after discussion with Viktor Klid, the Director of the department of EcoNet and Protected Areas of the Ukrainian Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources in Kiew

+++ 21 June 2018. Eberswalde Sustainability Society. Prof. Dr. Martin Jänicke discusses with Pierre Ibisch and Inka Thunecke if China is the new champion in climate policy ("China als neuer
Vorreiter der Klimapolitik?"). Martin Jänicke was member of the Berlin parliament, advisor to the German government and head of the German Advisory Council on the Environment. He is also a Visiting
Professor of Quinghai Normal University in China +++

+++ 21 June 2018. Final meeting with the Advisory Board of the AnpassBAR project on landscape framework planning in
Barnim county +++

Presentation of maps as part of the landscape framework plan to be proposed for the county of Barnim, Brandenburg (photo. Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management)

+++ 20 June 2018. Alberto Acosta, author, scientist, former minister and president of the last consitutional assembly of Ecuador, gave a Sustainability Lecture on the concept of Buen
vivir at Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development. He was accompanied by the Grupo Sal playing Latin American
music. After the concert lecture Pierre Ibisch participated in a panel with Alberto Acosta +++

Alberto Acosta during the panel discussion on Buen vivir, together with further panelists (Pierre Ibisch thrid from lect) and the journalist Thomas Pampuch (photo.
Christoph Nowicki)

+++ 11-15 June 2018. entre involvement at
the 5th European Congress of Conservation Biology (ECCB) in Jyväskylä, Finland: Panel on Forests at risk; presentations on a global assessment of boundary protected areas as well as on
thermondynamics of Madeira vegetation; workshop on roadless areas and future mobility. A special activity was dedicated to a MARISCO situation analysis of nature
and people and Europe, based on an exercise of the Policy Committee of the Society for Conservation Biology - Europe Section +++

+++ 6 June 2018. Centre staff together with colleagues from the Norther Arctic Federal University (NARFU) in Arkhangelsk and WWF presented results of their joint study on the effectiveness of FSC
in Arkhangelsk region, Russia. The workshop was attended by researchers and students of NARFU as well as representatives of forest enterprises +++

Jeanette Blumröder is the lead scientist of the study on effectiveness of FSC certification in Arkhangelsk region (photos. WWF Russia)

+++ 9 June 2018. The German TV magazine Markt (WDR) questions the ecological effectiveness of FSC (FSC-Holz: Wirklich besser?). In the film, Pierre Ibisch expresses doubts
if the current forestry practices as implemented in many parts of the Ukrainian Carpathians are sustainable. Vast areas - including FSC-certified areas - have been impacted by salvage logging of
spruce stands and clearcuts. The national FSC standard as currently applied in Ukraine endorses (or at least does not prevent) clearcuts and substantial biomass extraction, even on steep
slopes. Pierre Ibisch, together with the film team, visited an area that was said by local foresters to be FSC-certified, where the forest cover was substantially reduced. FSC Germany, in a website communication, doubts that the site shown in the film was really FSC-certified. A first step
towards clarification would be that FSC freely publishes the coordinates or polygons of the certified areas. It is alos recommendable that FSC analyses the global tree cover loss data made available by the University of Maryland, overlapping them with the certified
areas (Weiterlesen auf deutsch ...) +++

Forest area on steep slopes in Ukrainian Carpathians impacted by cutting in an area where a WDR film team questions sustainability of
FSC-certified logging. The image from the website on Global Tree Cover Loss indicates the amount of
(clear)cut areas in the corresponding region of the Ukrainian Carpathians (photo: PL. Ibisch)

+++ 25-31 March 2018. Peter Hobson and Pierre Ibisch visited the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynellth and explored forests and 'hanging woods' of Snowdonia
National Park in NW-Wales +++

Ancient woodlands in Dolgarrog National Nature Reserve

+++ 19 March 2018. Two academic lecturers from Writtle University College,
Mr. Henry Matthews and Professor Peter Hobson, travelled to Argentina and joined up with their counterparts from ‘Facultad Ciencias Empresariales Universidad Austral’ to deliver a British Council
funded workshop. Key staff representatives from Austral University met with the visitors from Writtle University College to discuss the next steps to explore opportunities for developing training
needs with particular emphasis on adaptive management planning and climate change risk analysis. It is envisaged the Centre for Econics will play a major part in contributing towards future plans in
this field of activities ... +++

+++ 25 January 2018. Centre staff Pierre Ibisch and Monika Hoffmann attend esri's Geodesign Summit at the company's headquarters in Redlands, California. In a meeting
with esri founder and CEO Jack Dangermond and his team they explored opportunities for future cooperation on roadless areas' conservation. esri is powering the first online interactive map of roadless areas on www.roadless.online +++

Jack Dangermond and his team with Centre staff at esri, Redlands (photo: Michael Gould)

+++ 24 January 2018. Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development organized another Sustainability Lecture the Secretary General of the Club of Rome, Graeme
Maxton, who presented his report 'Reinventing Prosperity'. The Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management was in charge of a project that facilitated
reading sessions of this book during the last year and had also suggested to invite Maxton. Centre staff Angela Dichte is the coordinator of the project. In a panel discussion, moderated by Prof.
Heike Walk, the book was also discussed with Daniela Trochowski, Deputy Minister of Finance of Brandenburg, Sarah Bhandari, student of Global Change Management, and Pierre Ibisch +++

+++ 12-16 October 2017. 33 experts representing 12 European countries convened on the Isle of Vilm, in the Baltic Sea, to further develop the European Beech Forest Network. The meeting was held in
the course of a project funded by the German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, and commissioned by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation. They
addressed the States Parties of the extended serial UNESCO World Heritage property “Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe (Albania, Austria, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Germany, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine)” with a resolution that summarises important findings ...

Photo: Participants during excursion to the beech forests of Jasmund National Park (Matthias Schickhofer) +++

+++ 13-14 September 2017. In Brussels, members of the European Beech Forest Network attend the Conference for Protection of Old Growth Forest in Europe organized by Wild Europe and hosted by
the EU Committee of the Regions. On behalf of the Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management, as well as the European Beech Forest Network registered society, Pierre Ibisch and Marcus Waldherr
participate in the event. Photo:

The Centre has become member of the Global Forest Biodiversity Initiative and looks forward to fruitful cooperation. The conference was hosted and sponsored by Beijing Forestry
University. On the photo: venue of the conference, building of the Faculty of Landscape Architecture (P. Ibisch)+++

Pre-conference field trip to the border of Inner Mongolia, Sahinba National Forest Park, Hebei province, a large afforestation project for halting the desert and
sandstorms threatening the Beijing area (photo: P. Ibisch)

+++ 17 July 2017. Brandenburg State Forestry, German NABU, together with Göttingen University and Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, officially launched a joint project called
'Glassy forest enterprise'. The Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management, on behalf of Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, implements the ecological research component. The
goal is to understand the ecological impact of selected silvicultural measures and the economic implications in a study region in northern Brandenburg, comprising both areas owned by the State of
Brandenburg and the NABU foundation. The 6-year-project is funded by the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) +++

World Heritage Committee on the day of deciding on European Beech Forests in Krakow (photo: P. Ibisch)

Final group picture after the anniversary symposium celebrating 10 years Global Change Management, M.Sc.. In the first row, Christoph Nowicki, coordinator and
co-designer of the programme, Pierre Ibisch, founding head of the study programme, and Martin Welp, head of the programme since winter term 2007 (photo: A. Valenzuela Jimenez)

+++ 30 June 2017. 10th anniversary of the international Master study programme Global Change Management at Eberswalde University for
Sustainable Development. Partners, lectureres, current and former students gathered to celebrate the achievements of the programme that was launched in the winter term 2006/2007. Prof. Dr. Ottmar
Edenhofer, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research gave a keynote lecture. Four former students, Thais Mattos, Carina Zell, Eike Christansen and Sönke Kreft, provided insights in their current
work. Thomas Loster, MunichRe, and Christoph Bals, Germanwatch, offered their perspective on the programme. Pierre Ibisch and Martin Welp reported about the genesis and achievements of the programme
as well as future ideas +++

On 28 June 2017, Pierre Ibisch (right) was invited by Austria to participate in meeting with ambassadors to the UNESCO; in Paris, at the UNESCO headquarters, he
informed the participants about the screening process of European beech forests that proceeded the extension nomination of the World Heritage Property dedicated to postglacial beech
expansion

+++ 13 June 2017. The Russian critical scientists and activists Dr. Alexey Kozlov, Nikolai Petrov, and Gulya Sultanova were the guests at the latest Eberswalder Nachhaltigkeitsgesellschaft. In the discussion the current situation of Russian civil society, environmental policy and also the Ukraine conflict were analysed +++

+++ 12 June 2017. Pierre Ibisch and Angela Dichte, in Hamburg, received the certificate for Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) for successfully participating in the
Germany-wide contest 'One university - one book'. Together with 9 universities, HNEE was selected by a jury, for coming up with a convincing proposal. In the framework of the initiative launched by
Deutscher Stifterverband and the German magazine Die ZEIT, HNEE, in a series of events, reads and discusses the latest report to the Club of Rome: Reinventing prosperity. The Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management has proposed the book, prepared the application, and now moderates the
process of reading the book (more info in German ...) +++

+++ June 2017. Writtle University College has promoted Peter Hobson, co-director of the Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management, to the position of a Professor for biodiversity conservation and sustainability +++

+++ 26 May - 3 June 2017. Annual student excursion to Ukraine in combination with study trip in the framework of project on Transboundary cooperation for ecosystem-based sustainable
development. A group of Centre lecturers and students from Eberswalde together with partners from Moldova and Romania visited western Ukraine. The host and organizer in Lviv was the Ukrainian National Forestry University (UNFU), being a a strategic partner. in the region for a couple of years. After staying in Lviv and exploring the
Roztochya Biosphere Reserve, the focus of the study trip was on the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve on the border to Romania, another
long-term partner of the Centre +++

Director of the Roztochya Nature Reserve together with Eberswalde students around an old linden tree (photo: P. Ibisch)

In Uholka, after a day-long hike through the largest intact European beech forest, part of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve and component of the serial UNESCO World
Heritage property 'Primeval beech forests of the Carpathians and ancient beech forests of Germany', the group, unexpectedly, met Vlado Vancura, European Wilderness Society. Vlado leads an ongoing mission of wilderness audit in Ukraine (photo: European Wilderness Society)

+++ 21-23 May 2017. Pierre Ibisch participates in the strategic meeting of the Advisory Council of the International Academy for Nature Conservation (INA) , Isle of
Vilm. The meeting was chaired by Trevor Sandwith and involved further external experts. "The Advisory Council consists
out of 15 members from universities and scientific institutions, national and international NGOs, development cooperation, conservation authorities as well as from the German parliament ..." read more +++